- Title: Thousands of Greeks march to mark 1973 uprising, protest against austerity
- Date: 17th November 2016
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS WITH BANNERS AND PLACARDS GATHERED AHEAD OF MARCH ON ATHENS STREET DEMONSTRATOR HOLDING FLAG AND BANNER (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) 60-YEAR-OLD PENSIONER, AKIS ADAMOPOULOS, SAYING: "Nothing has changed, in fact with the bailouts things are getting worse. Greece has become even more dependent on foreign powers and the economy is a tragedy." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) 22-YEAR-OLD STUDENT, YANNIS POTHAKIS, SAYING: "Then it was about bread, education and freedom. Today it's very similar but in different terms. For young people today there is a problem finding jobs that will allow us to live with dignity, (while) our parents are wondering how to make ends meet on a daily basis." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) 66-YEAR-OLD ATHENS RESIDENT, KATERINA, SAYING: "The age of the bailout has come to wipe out whatever is left of labour rights, of our freedoms, of our right to protest and join unions. This is what the age of bailouts is, and not just for Greece but for everyone." STUDENTS MARCHING AND HOLDING A GREEK FLAG STAINED WITH THE BLOOD OF STUDENTS KILLED IN THE 1973 UPRISING / FLOWER ON FLAG STUDENTS MARCHING AND CHANTING BLOODSTAINED FLAG AND FLOWER STUDENTS WITH THEIR ARMS LINKED TOGETHER MARCHING AND CHANTING VARIOUS OF POLICE VANS AND RIOT POLICE OFFICERS BLOCKING STREET VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS WITH RED FLAGS MARCHING AND CHANTING THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING DOWN STREET CARRYING BANNERS, BANNER READING (Greek): 'BREAD-EDUCATION-FREEDOM' DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING DEMONSTRATORS WITH THEIR ARMS LINKED TOGETHER MARCHING AND CHANTING / RIOT POLICE VANS IN THE BACKGROUND RIOT POLICE DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING PAST RIOT POLICE SEA OF DEMONSTRATORS FILLING STREET DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING NEXT TO RIOT POLICE VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING AS SEEN FROM ABOVE
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2016 16:25
- Keywords: Greece anniversary 1973 student revolt dictatorship Tsipras protest U.S.
- Location: ATHENS, GREECE
- City: ATHENS, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA00158U25VR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Thousands of Greeks marched in central Athens on Thursday (November 17) to mark the 43rd anniversary of a bloody student uprising that helped topple the military junta ruling the country between 1967 and 1974, and using the march to express opposition to the current government's economic policies.
Students, workers and pensioners held anti-austerity banners reflecting widespread anger at the leftist-led government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, which signed up to a third austerity heavy international bailout, despite its pre-election promises.
"Then it was about bread, education and freedom. Today it's very similar but in different terms. For young people today there is a problem finding jobs that will allow us to live with dignity, (while) our parents are wondering how to make ends meet on a daily basis," said 22-year-old student Yannis Pothakis.
About 2,800 police guarded the march which ended at the U.S. embassy; Washington was accused of having backed the six-year military dictatorship.
The march comes a day after U.S. President Barack Obama concluded a visit to Athens where he emphasized the values of democracy and pledged to support Greece with its efforts for debt relief from its creditors.
Since 2009, the debt crisis has plunged Greece's economy into a deep recession, putting thousands of Greeks out of work and shutting down businesses. Unemployment stood at 23.4 percent in August, the highest in the eurozone.
Earlier in parliament Tsipras pledged to end the country's financial crisis.
"This government, our government, undertook the mandate to lead the country out of this crisis with society standing on its feet, and to break this vicious circle of austerity, this savage austerity," he said.
Tsipras' party has been trailing in the polls behind the conservative opposition party but elections are not due until 2019. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
